Many prior popular input methods for computers and other machines have been based on outdated models such as the typewriter for text, adding machines for numbers, or the piano keyboard for music. These antiquated input methods, while familiar, leave considerable room for improvement.
Occasionally, departures from established methods in this field have lead to revolutionary results. An example of an input device or machine controller without an antecedent is the computer mouse. It is an input device that was conceived with the computer graphic user interface (GUI) in mind. Its functional excellence comes from its ability to continuously navigate and manipulate on two dimensions, matching the structure of the computer monitor. This excellent example of form following function makes the computer mouse intuitive to use and highly effective. Its third dimension of control, clicking or selecting, is Boolean however; an object is either selected or it is not. While not a major drawback for most applications, graphic artists have commented that real paint brushes and pencils have an additional level of expression due to their response to pressure variations that can not be reproduced by the mouse. To solve this problem, new interfaces have been invented such as the WACOM tablet and some touch screens, that address the third dimension by incorporating pressure into their range on control. While an improvement, these controllers do not allow for more than one input location to be manipulated at a time, making them ill suited for polyphonic music performance or true concurrent GUI object manipulation.
Musical instruments have traditionally been a combination of a mechanism that vibrates and a method of initiating and controlling that vibration. In the past, these two features were intrinsically related, e.g. the violin's fingerboard provides a means for shortening, and thus manipulating its vibrating string, which makes the sound. However, with the invention of electric, electronic, and digital oscillators, there is no longer the need for the design of the instrument to be based on the way it makes sound. Instead, an instrument in the form of an interface may be designed for the way humans think about, and physically make music.
In the art of electronic music and instruments, most devices played as an input to a music synthesizer are essentially switching devices that operate in conjunction with standardized digital control data called MIDI, or Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Although originally invented to provide a means for musical keyboards to communicate and control each other, MIDI is a powerful means of controlling all kinds of digital machines. MIDI controlled sound synthesizers, lighting systems, and media players, are popular among musicians and technicians today. In fact, machines whose only output is MIDI data are becoming increasingly common, and are known as MIDI controllers.
Keyboard organs have been in use since the tenth century. And today, the most popular input method for the production of music from the digital realm, is the piano/organ keyboard. However, the piano keyboard has some musical, ergonomic, and technical problems including: 1. limited chord-voicing and chord range possibilities, 2.limited dynamic control, 3. being a large instrument requiring the performer to sit or stand in one location, 4. not being chromatically intuitive (favors C Major, adding to difficulty in learning how to play), 5.limited percussive speed and precision, 6.limited sustain, vibrato, and portamento control.
Non-piano keyboard music control methods have been invented for electronic music. However they are often very specialized, limited in musical expression, not intuitive to learn, or physically difficult to use. For example, an early electronic musical instrument, the THEREMIN, had a new method for controlling pitch and dynamics. The elevation of the player's hand in the air near the instrument controls pitch, while a hand moving left or right controls the volume. However, it was very difficult to play, because it lacked tactile or visual references. It also had the limitation of being monophonic.
The AIRSYNTH by ALESIS, is a modern controller that, like the THEREMIN, uses the location in space of the players hands to effect musical changes. As is true with the THEREMIN, it also has difficulties in its ability to precisely control information and thus has limited musical expression.
The KEYTAR or ROLAND'S AX-7 makes the piano keyboard portable during performance. However, it sacrifices pitch range, and playability to do so.
Many patents have been issued for MIDI controllers that are based on acoustic instruments other than the piano. The guitar is a common model. These include, STAR LAB'S ZTAR and controllers taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,557,057; 4,336,737; 4,570,521; 6,444,891 and 4,630,520. They all have range and expressive restraints due to their attempted emulation.
Realizing the musical instrument design possibilities afforded by sensors or switches and MIDI, a few examples of arrayed sensor based instruments exist. STARR LAB's MT-48DD is a 4×12 array of 2″ rubber mounds that can be played with the feet or with mallets. More popular examples include AKAI's MPC/MPD series and a multitude of drum machines with their pressure sensitive pads. While excellent percussive input devices, none achieve full harmonic polyphony or range, or, can be played while the performer is moving across a stage.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,501,011 and 6,670,535 describe examples arrayed sensor MIDI controllers for music that, by attempting to build western harmonic music theory into their key layout, have made an instrument that is very difficult to understand and play in a traditional chromatic way.
Traditional controllers of audio recording equipment consist of large tabletop mixing “boards” or “desks”. Because of their size, the operator has only one point of view of the program he or she is controlling. This is often a problem as sound is greatly influenced by environment and the proximity of the listener to the source. A portable control unit would be very useful to an audio technician adjusting sound to get an optimum quality throughout a space.
Like the audio engineer fixed to a location behind his or her controller, the lighting technician gets only one visual perspective of his or her lighting sets. This can lead to a number of problems both for the lighted performer and for the audience.
Video game controllers have advanced greatly from the days of the single “joystick” and “fire” button. However, many popular video game controllers require the player to hold the controller. This manual holding means that part of the hand is not being utilized for control functions. Often, as is true with SONY's PLAYSTATION controllers, only four fingers total, are available to actually play the game.
Today, with performers increasingly embracing media technology, more dynamic methods of control are needed.